[Mental disorders and social inequalities in three birth cohorts].
OBJECTIVE
To test if mental disorders are more prevalent and start earlier in younger cohorts, as well as investigating changes of the association between mental disorders and social class.


METHODS
Comparison of three birth cohorts in the representative German Health Survey (Mental Health Supplement, GHS-MHS; age: 18-65; N = 4,181) with regard to substance use, depressive, anxiety and somatoform disorders.


RESULTS
Prevalences of mental disorders are the same across cohorts but lifetime risk is higher in recent cohorts (in particular for depression). A gradient of social class shows a tendency to be stronger in younger cohorts.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to the retrospective design increased lifetime risk in younger cohorts might be over-estimated. Repeated surveys in the same population are needed to determine whether the prevalence of mental disorders is rising in recent years. The association between social status and mental health will be of growing importance in the future.
Mauz
Elvira
E
Abt. Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsberichterstattung, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin. E.Mauz@rki.de
Jacobi
Frank
F
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult